Requirements

What are the requirements for Adaptive Management in Corps’ ecosystem restoration projects?

This website describes and/or otherwise characterizes the state of science or field and practice as it relates to adaptive management and should in no way be perceived as expression of Civil Works policy. It is expected that readers will consult formal Civil Works policy, regulations, and guidance for details regarding Civil Works policy and required/acceptable practices. Nominally, this would include the following documents:

• WRDA 2007, Section 2039 requires the Secretary to: (1) ensure that a recommended ecosystem restoration project includes a plan for monitoring the success of the restoration; and (2) consider the cost of carrying out the monitoring as a project cost for a period not to exceed 10 years from completion of project construction (WRDA 2007).

• CEWC-PB, Implementation Guidance for Section 2039, Monitoring Ecosystem Restoration. On August 31, 2009, a memorandum from Theodore Brown, Chief of Planning and Policy Decision, Directorate of Civil Works, USACE, was issued to commanders and major subordinate commands providing detailed requirements for implementation of Section 2039 of WRDA 2007 (USACE 2009). This action requires that ecosystem restoration projects “include a plan for monitoring the success of ecosystem restoration.” It also requires the development of an adaptive management plan for any ecosystem restoration feasibility study.